ore facts about geothermal energy include that there was about 33 MW of geothermal power online in Oregon producing 165 GWh in 2013, the latest industry survey identified 19 projects under development in Oregon of additional power within the next few years if appropriate contracts are secured, Geothermal power projects have the lowest land density compared to any other renewable power technology, and the U.S. Geological Survey estimates that there are an additional 500 MW of discovered geothermal power resources in Oregon and 1,800 MW of undiscovered resources.
Solar energy is another good resource option for Oregon to strongly consider, even though it seems like it wouldn’t be. The Oregon Solar Energy Industries Association (OSEIA) founded in 1981, promotes and advances solar energy utilization. Solar Oregon gives job opportunities and offers volunteer opportunity. Although Oregon is known for being cloudy and rainy, however, Portland General Electric (PGE) says the western Oregon actually receives as much solar energy as the national average, and will produce as much energy as the same system installed in Florida. Values of solar energy include clean energy, lowered accumulative electricity cost, and adds value to your property. The cost of solar panels in Oregon is 95 cents per watt, up to a maximum of $9,500 for energy trusts. Solar energy is obviously a renewable resource, because it comes from the sun. The sun is not going to run out of energy until long after we’re gone. Oregon’s solar energy has been growing a lot in recent years due to new technology improvements. Along with that Oregon has also taken actions to encourage solar energy use. Also, many solar manufacturing companies have chosen to operate in Oregon due to its cheap hydroelectric power and because it is close to California’s large market. A benefit of solar electricity is that it lets off no pollution and is essential to the environment. We have the technology to have all of our energy we need be from renewable sources in the near future and Oregon is working on passing a number of bills in order to bring ten times more solar power into the states over the next ten years. Doing so would be equal to putting panels on 250,000 roofs. We also have the technology to tap into the sun and repower the states with its energy. Oregon loves being green and the environment, so investing time and money into these types of resources is exactly what we need. If the technology and resources are there we should take advantage. Another thing to keep in mind about solar energy is that it has a wide range of uses. It can be used for residential, commercial, and industrial purposes. According to AlphaSolar this form of energy can be used for day lighting, cooking, heating water, distillation, disinfection, heating pools, and high temperature process heating. Other important information about solar energy from conserve energy future, though the sun is 90 million miles from the earth, it takes less than 10 minutes for light to travel to us, the solar technology can be distinguished into active and passive, and The earth gets 174 Petawatts of incoming solar radiation in the upper atmosphere. About 30% is reflected back to space and the rest is absorbed by oceans, clouds and land masses.
Some people may argue with my choices in what I believe are the most beneficial options for Oregon’s energy. The opposing side would say that biomass is too expensive, inefficient compared to others. However most other options are just as expensive and the benefits outweigh the negatives. As for geothermal energy, some would say that the fact the sites can run out of steam is a big downfall, or that the transportation is too difficult. Against that I would say that running out of steam is not an issue if companies do extensive initial research, and the energy would not need to be transported, because it would only be needed in surrounding areas from where it was accessed. As far as an argument against solar energy it could be said that although the sun gives no pollution, the panels have toxic metals in them. However, if that was the main concern new innovative technologies can overcome the worst of the affects. If someone was going to argue against Solar, Geothermal, and Biomass energy, then they would need to give alternative options. Coal would be an example of what we could use instead, because it is cheap and widely available. The issue with coal is how toxic it is. It is better to spend more money on something efficient and safer for the environment, then something cheap that will continue to damage the atmosphere. We only have one Earth and if we don’t do something to keep it safe and a livable environment, we are going to be to deep to get out.
It is clear that there are both pros and cons to any type of energy. That being said, when you weigh them out, look at things such as cost, availability, pollution, etc. it is clear to see that the three types of energy I’ve chosen are wise. With all of the beauty and diverse resources Oregon has to offer, it would be unethical and not smart to use energy resources that are either non-renewable or dangerous. If the whole world started to use renewable resources that give off low amounts of pollution we could more easily avoid the green affect, global climate change, and other problems.